One in This World
by IHeartFantasy
Summary: It happened out of nowhere. Like magic. Ryo didn't know what to do. Everything had happened so quickly, so suddenly. After the events that changed his life, would Ryo ever find hope again?
1. Prologue

**Hello YuGiOh fans! This is the first time I'm writing a fanfic in the YuGiOh genre. I will be using the manga names for this story. This fanfic is centered around Ryo Bakura and is set a few months after the Ceremonial Battle. Later on in the story you will notice I've combined concepts from the manga and the show of YuGiOh, concerning Ryo's father and Ryo's mother and sister.**

**Just so you know, this prologue is _after _all the events happened in the story, and the chapters will be considered "flashbacks" of the events that lead Ryo up to this point. I think it's a interesting take for me to write, because you are seeing Ryo in a very... sad state (sorry!) after a certain event occurred and then you will be thrust into the past to see how it all happened.**

**Either way, I hope you enjoy it!**

**I do not own YuGiOh or the song One in This World by Haylie Duff from A Cinderella Story which is the title of this fanfic or the lyrics of said song that are featured in the chapters of this story. **

* * *

One in This World

* * *

Prologue

It was raining; the sound of water splashing on the concert and in the grass and flowers around him filled his ears. The rain made the temperature chilly; he bundled up more inside his coat. He held up an umbrella above him, and yet rain still managed to get on his long, white hair.

His brown eyes were saddened; they were staring at something that was in front of him.

His friends had told him to come here. They said it would be good for him; he could say a final goodbye to her and move on. But how? How would one move on after everything that had happened? She was dead because of him. It was his entire fault.

_No_, he thought. _If Yugi heard me say that, he would tell me it was not my fault. Something like it was fate—that it was her time to die. But if that is true, then why did she die? Why… Why did she try to protect me…?_

Ryo Bakura sighed and took a step closer to the grave. It was medium size, made of pure stone and shined even if it was raining. The quality of the stone looked well, as if someone had specifically asked someone to construct it.

_I wonder if Kaiba has something to do with her grave_, Ryo thought. _After all, it _was _his limo that…_

Ryo did not finish the thought; it was too sad, too recent to remember the horror and pain as he saw it happen. _But that is the thing… Because it happened _just yesterday…

Ryo clenched his umbrella tightly; he could feel that he was working himself up. _Just take a deep breathe… Exhale… And speak out to her…_

Ryo sat down on his knees and put the roses he had bought earlier in front of the grave. The gravestone read:

_To Magic, the one who popped into my life like magic._

Reading the words caused tears to form in Ryo's eyes, and so he dipped his head down and sobbed. "Why?" he asked. "Why did you protect me? I could have protected myself, but you had to...!"

The only sound in the cemetery for a few moments was of Ryo's sobbing. Finally, Ryo dried his eyes with his coat sleeve and stood up, still staring at the grave.

"I didn't expect you to come back to my place," he said. "You were a stray, an outcast. And yet you kept coming back to me. You always seemed different from most cats..."

Ryo's voice choked, but he forced himself to continue. "What drew you to me? Was it because you could tell I was lonely? Or was it something else?"

Suddenly an idea entered his mind. _It could not possibly be… But, it would make sense, because maybe he is looking out for us…_

"...Were you sent to me by the Pharaoh Atem?" Ryo asked. Of course, he did not expect an answer. He just felt like asking the question out load.

Ryo chuckled. "You know, I still remember how we met. Even if it was only a week ago, bloody hell, I believe you changed my life."

It was true. The feline had only just entered his life a week ago and yet suddenly she was gone.

_I can remember it like it was just yesterday…_


	2. Chapter 1

**Since I've seen people actually are reading this, I'm updating. But I feel bummed that no one commented on the prologue. Would it kill you to comment on one little prologue? No it wouldn't, and I had honestly expected people to be curious and comment on it. But I guess with the way I wrote the prologue, it wouldn't spark people's interests... I'm not trying to be mean! I'm merely observing what happened after I posted the prologue.**

**For those of you who are interested in this story, I _did _warn you that there would be song lyrics in this story, since the story title itself is based of a song.**

**Anyway, enjoy chapter one!**

**I do not own YuGiOh or the song One in This World by Haylie Duff **

* * *

One in This World

* * *

Chapter One

_Ryo: I've been searching for_

_A heart that needs a heart like mine_

_I've been reaching for _

_A hand that understands_

Ryo Bakura stepped out of the store and into the light rain, his hand holding his umbrella tightly. It was a humid day and the air felt cool. In his other hand was a bag of groceries, as he had noticed he was running low on food and had decided to buy some more.

He walked along the sidewalk. Only some people were out in this weather and occasionally a car would pass by.

Ryo noticed he was passing by the museum. It was open and he saw some people were walking inside it. _Probably to get out of the rain,_ he thought.

Normally at this time, he would actually be in the museum, guiding people around it. Even if it was a part-time job, Ryo loved learning about history and so he liked working at the museum. Contrary to what others might think, even after everything that had happened with the Millennium Ring and all the events that had happened after he occurred it, Ryo wasn't afraid of learning more Egypt and its culture since that was where the Millennium Items were from.

He still couldn't believe it was only a few months ago that the other Yugi, the one who was the Pharaoh and whose real name was Atem, had left them to go into the afterlife. Like the others, he missed Atem's presence; Atem had been a good friend to Ryo. There WAS one thing he was happy to see gone though, the spirit of the Millennium Ring.

No longer would it be able to control his body and harm his friends. Now that it was gone for good, Ryo could finally get his life back together. That was why he got a part-time job, so he could have money and do stuff like all other normal teenagers did. The only sad thing in his life was the fact his father was barely at home anymore, but then again he had never bothered to even _be _at home with Ryo, even after everything that had happened.

Ryo thought the reason his father wasn't really around him anymore was the fact he probably reminded his father of Amane and his mother. Ryo didn't think about that when he was younger, but it made sense to him now. That was why his father slowly distanced himself from his son over the years.

The good thing about having a part-time job at the museum was that someone he knew worked there too. Yugi Muto had decided to get a part-time job at the museum too; he was the one who suggested the museum to work at when Ryo was looking for job options.

Because of his knowledge about the Nameless Pharaoh (even if Ryo and his friends knew the Pharaoh's name was Atem), Yugi had been asked by the staff to work in the section about Atem and Atem's era, Yugi had accepted the offer immediately. Many people were curious about the Pharaoh recently so Ryo often ended up taking people to see Yugi. Ryo did not mind it though; he liked hanging out with Yugi.

"Hey! Bakura! Is that you?"

Ryo was startled at the sound of someone's voice; it was still odd for him to hear his last name from other people because the spirit of the Millennium Ring had been called by that name as well.

Ryo turned around to see a familiar face running up to him. "Yugi?" Ryo said. "What are you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be working?"

Yugi grinned. "Naw, I'm taking a day off," he said, gripping his umbrella as a wind blew. "Oh and guess what! They made my job permanent 'cause people really like me!"

Ryo smiled. "Of course they would," he said. "You know Atem better than anyone else!"

"Yeah..." murmured Yugi.

Even if a few months had gone by Atem was still kind of a sore subject, if not a little. After Atem went away, everyone had to adjust because he was gone. In addition, an odd thing occurred to Yugi a month after the Ceremonial Battle—Yugi had a growth spurt and was as tall as Atem had been, with his voice a little bit deeper but still had traces of his younger sounding voice. It was as if Atem had been holding back Yugi's growth, and once Atem was out of the picture Yugi grew up considerably.

"Anyway, what are _you _doing out here?" Yugi asked, changing the subject. "I know you're having a day off 'cause you told me yesterday, but I'd had thought you would be home watching TV or something!"

Ryo adjusted his grip on his bag of groceries. "Well yeah, I would be, but I was running low on some food so..."

Yugi looked at Ryo worryingly. "Are you sure you don't want to move in with me and my grandpa?" he asked quietly. "I know how you feel about it, about your father... But you know our door is always open for you."

Ryo smiled at Yugi. "Thanks, but no thanks," he said. "I know you want to help me, and I appreciate it, but I can handle it. I've been living on my own for a while now; I lived with the spirit of the Millennium Ring just fine."

_Despite all those occasions when it took control over me…_ Ryo thought.

"Alright Bakura, I understand," said Yugi, glancing down at his phone that started beeping.

Ryo grimaced at his name as Yugi looked on his phone's screen. "Yugi... Erm, could you do me a favor?" Ryo asked, gulping.

"Yeah, sure Bakura," said Yugi, reading his phone. "What is it?"

One would normally assume that Yugi wasn't listening to them, but Ryo knew better. Yugi paid attention to his surroundings, a trait that Atem seemed to have given Yugi.

"Could you not call me Bakura anymore?" Ryo said quickly, waiting to see Yugi's reaction.

Yugi looked up at Ryo surprised; it took him a moment to realize why Ryo had asked him that question. Ryo was reminded of the spirit every time someone said his last name; asking Yugi to call Ryo by his first name was his last detachment to the spirit of the Millennium Ring.

Yugi smiled at Ryo warmly. "Of course Ryo," he said. "I understand. Oh and I must go. I'm meeting Jonouchi at his place to go see a movie."

Ryo nodded. "Ok, I'll be heading back to my place," he said. "Have a good time!"

Yugi ran past Ryo. "Will do! See ya!" he called back to Ryo, waving.

Ryo waved back with his groceries hand. "See ya later!" he called.

Yugi gave him a thumbs-up to show he heard him.

Ryo chuckled at Yugi. _Having an actual job, hanging out with friends… Yugi's living the life right now…_

Ryo was disturbed with his own thoughts. _…But aren't I living the life too? With the Millennium Ring gone and all…_

Ryo sighed. In reality, he had thought his life would get better. After the Ceremonial Battle, some of his friends had drifted apart from him, as if they couldn't handle seeing him anymore. It was probably because of the fact whenever they saw him they could only see the spirit of the Millennium Ring in his place. The only one friend that stayed being friends with him was Yugi; it seemed like only Yugi really understood what Ryo had gone through with the spirit of the Millennium Ring in his life.

"Meow!"

"Wha...?"

Ryo turned his head toward the noise; a stray cat was watching him, its light green eyes brimming with curiosity. It had light brown-bronze fur and had black stripes like a tabby. Judging by the appearance of the feline, Ryo figured that the cat could be an Egyptian Mau.

"Hello there, kitty," he said. "What are you doing out here in the rain?"

The cat chirped at Ryo, tilting its head at him.

"Awwww," Ryo murmured. "Well, I'm sorry kitty but I've gotta go home now, okay?"

Ryo started walking past the museum and crossed the street, turning left. A couple of blocks later Ryo approached his apartment building. Out of the corner of his eye, Ryo saw a flash of brown and black going to hide in the bushes.

_It followed me here…?_ Ryo thought.

Turning around, Ryo saw that the cat was hiding in the bushes near his building, watching him.

_Very interesting…_

Ryo set his bag of groceries on the ground underneath the roof of the building; he noticed that the cat perked its ears at the sound of the bag hitting the ground. He turned around and slowly approached the creature.

"Hey there," he murmured at the cat. "Whatcha doing following me here, huh?"

Ryo held out his hand to the cat and the feline poked its head of the bushes to sniff his hand. Taking this as a sign of a friendly creature, Ryo used his other hand to try to pet the cat's head. The cat narrowed its eyes and hissed scratching Ryo's outstretched hand.

"Oww!" Ryo cried out, holding his hand in pain as the cat scurried off to the other side of the street.

_Well, that figures…_ Ryo thought, staring at the wound that was forming from the cat's claws. _Since it's a stray, it wouldn't want to be pet by a human… However, the behavior of following me home is a bit strange…_

Ryo used his injured hand to open the door into the apartment building while using his uninjured to carry the bag of groceries; his injured hand was stinging badly.

_I'll have to use peroxide to clean the wound and then bandage it, _Ryo thought as he climbed the stairs to his apartment floor. _In hindsight, I should have known the cat would scratch me, but whatever. What happened is from my actions, so I can't blame it on the cat._

Ryo used his apartment key to enter his apartment. He sat down the bag of groceries on the table in the small kitchen, and headed for the bathroom.

_Still though, I wonder why it followed me home… _Ryo wondered as he fixed up his hand. _A normal stray cat wouldn't do that. No, this cat must be special…_

Ryo wasn't sure why he felt the way, as he had only just met the stray and the first impression it had given him wasn't very good. However, there was an odd feeling inside him that said it wouldn't be the last time he would encounter that cat.

_I wonder when I'll meet it again... If I do meet that cat, it will sure be interesting to see what will happen next after I see it…_


End file.
